Ok let me set the scene... its 1994, I'm in 6th form and just getting into MTB in a serious way with my Raleigh Outland, all my mates at college have "proper" MTB's....Cannondale's, Gary Fisher's Dyna Tech's one even had a Pace! Now most of these brands were so far away from what I could afford it was just insulting
But then one of the kids who I didn't know rode in on his new Kona Fire Mountain, which as we all know was not a high end bike, but it was a "proper" MTB! I was smitten! It looked really cool, the colour was a lovely metallic red, and most important it was attainable!
I never did buy one though, I ended up getting an Orange C16r a couple of years later, which I loved (no regrets there).
But the image of that Fire Mountain has stayed with me ever since, so when I saw a frame up for sale I had to.......
So the frame... its a bit tatty with lots of chips and scrapes and a bit of rust here and there, but it's straight, the threads are good and there are no dents. a good starting point.
I rubbed down the worst of the chips and rust patches, and painted with a metallic red enamel paint I had, unfortunately not a great match but it'll do to keep the rust out for now.
I decided this was not going to be original spec and I was going to go for up-spec-ing it, but with kit from the period and a few years after.
So today after a while acquiring parts I decided to get out in the sun and build it up.
I also (not today) built up my own wheels for this one, never done this before so will be interesting.... :shock: :shock:
The final result is this:
(The blue post and saddle will be swapped when I get suitable replacements)
The two things that immediately surprised me were
1, How high the bars were! Kona's always give me the impression of being long and low, which is a style I like, but the bars on this are 2" higher than my Orange, and it's older by 3 years at least!
2, The reach, it was no way near as stretched as I'd expected.
I shall try it as it is, but may well opt for a different seatpost and stem combination to try and stretch/lower the position.
But then one of the kids who I didn't know rode in on his new Kona Fire Mountain, which as we all know was not a high end bike, but it was a "proper" MTB! I was smitten! It looked really cool, the colour was a lovely metallic red, and most important it was attainable!
I never did buy one though, I ended up getting an Orange C16r a couple of years later, which I loved (no regrets there).
But the image of that Fire Mountain has stayed with me ever since, so when I saw a frame up for sale I had to.......
So the frame... its a bit tatty with lots of chips and scrapes and a bit of rust here and there, but it's straight, the threads are good and there are no dents. a good starting point.
I rubbed down the worst of the chips and rust patches, and painted with a metallic red enamel paint I had, unfortunately not a great match but it'll do to keep the rust out for now.
I decided this was not going to be original spec and I was going to go for up-spec-ing it, but with kit from the period and a few years after.
So today after a while acquiring parts I decided to get out in the sun and build it up.
I also (not today) built up my own wheels for this one, never done this before so will be interesting.... :shock: :shock:
The final result is this:
(The blue post and saddle will be swapped when I get suitable replacements)
The two things that immediately surprised me were
1, How high the bars were! Kona's always give me the impression of being long and low, which is a style I like, but the bars on this are 2" higher than my Orange, and it's older by 3 years at least!
2, The reach, it was no way near as stretched as I'd expected.
I shall try it as it is, but may well opt for a different seatpost and stem combination to try and stretch/lower the position.